In other gardening news

(See, I knew I wanted to tell This Story, but I didn't want it to interfere with my Brian Story.)

I'm out gardening this afternoon and I slowly realize I can't see properly out of my left eye. I am growing my hair out, so unruly hair blowing in to my face is nothing new. I swipe blindly at my head and keep going. Ten seconds later, it is obvious the hair still isn't gone, I swipe again. I blink repeatedly, but I can still half see something at the top of my eye and it's making me bonkers. I rub my eye and blink again. Still no improvement. I put my fingers to my eyelashes and realize there's something in them. I carefully work my fingertips to the base of my eyelashes, grasp firmly but gently, and pull.

What comes out is a handful of blood and some kind of black flying insect I can't even identify after being mashed in my hand.

Bleed??!!?? It was one of the weirdest medical moments of my life. I'm in the garden, bleeding from my eyelid. I immediately came inside, much to the general horror of my family; Mario and Brian both seemed to think that my natural clumsiness had finally gotten the best of me and I had blinded myself with a trowel or something. So I'm standing in the livingroom, with blood essentially pouring out of my EYE, saying, "No, it's cool, I just got bit my something. Like a bear."

I hav no idea what it was, although I think I have eliminated mosquito. All I know is that it is eight hours later, my eye is swollen, and it frigging HURTS where I was bitten. Therefore, no eye makeup for Jenn in the morning. Hope my co-workers are ready for that nastiness.